Why CEOs Must Lead on AI as a Core Business Function

Aiman Ezzat, CEO of Capgemini, has said in conversation with Fortune that he sees AI as "a business" rather than a technology.

He argues leaders should stop treating AI as an add-on to the tech stack and start owning it as a value engine that reshapes how the company competes, runs and grows.

Too often, he warns, AI is treated as a bolt-on capability. He says leaders categorise AI solutions as a “black box that’s being managed separately”.

While Aiman says there are “technologies behind it”, AI as a whole “is about transforming the business. It cannot just be used to keep the house running”.

AI’s learning curve is a leadership test

EY research shows 88% of employees report using AI at work, yet organisations are failing to realise up to 40% of the potential benefits. The report points to a gap between everyday task use and strategic deployment that moves growth or margin.

For Aiman, that gap starts with capability planning and pacing. He says: “You don’t want to be too ahead of the learning curve," adding, “if [you are], you’re investing and building capabilities that nobody wants.”

In the UK, only 21% of workers felt confident using AI as of January 2026, according to government findings, underscoring the scale of enablement needed.

Leading employers are placing skills investment at the centre of AI delivery.

Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO at Accenture, said in the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call that “the workforce needs new skills to use AI, and new talent strategies and related competencies must be developed.”

Accenture has committed US$1bn to a dedicated learning platform and gives staff access to AI sandboxes to test solutions. The firm aims to double the number of skilled data and AI professionals in its workforce through this programme.

The CEO’s mandate on AI

Accountability is landing squarely on the CEO, with Boston Consulting Group reporting that half of CEOs believe their role is at risk if AI investments fail to pay off.

That pressure, Aiman argues, should focus the top job on direction, not tinkering.

Aiman says: “The question you [the CEO] have to focus on is: ‘how can your business be significantly disrupted by AI’, not ‘how is your finance team going to become more efficient?’ I’m sure your CFO will deal with that at the end of the day.”

CEOs must define where AI will create advantage, set the guardrails for responsible deployment and ensure operating models, talent and incentives align to those aims.

Translating vision into results

Leaders who align AI to strategy and execution are already seeing the impact. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, led the company to its first US$100bn quarter in 2025, crediting AI’s integration with the core business model. In an earnings call, Sundar said: “Overall, we’re seeing our AI investments and infrastructure drive revenue growth across the board.”

That outcome-based mindset is echoed in Aiman’s stance. Treat AI as a business, organise for adoption at pace with skills to match and measure progress through tangible value creation.